Phytoaccumulation of Sodium & ChlorideInto Leaf, Woody, & Root Tissue

of Populus Irrigated with Landfill Leachate

Jill A. Zalesny1, Ronald S. Zalesny Jr.1, Adam H. Wiese1

Bart T. Sexton2, Richard B. Hall3

1 U.S. Forest ServiceNorthern Research Station

Institute for Applied Ecosystem StudiesRhinelander, WI 54501

3 Iowa State UniversityDept. of Natural ResourceEcology & ManagementAmes, IA 50011

2 Oneida County WisconsinSolid Waste Dept.Rhinelander, WI 54501

J.A. Zalesny presented the results of this study during Session 3C (Salt Remediation) of the Fourth International Phytotechnology Conference; September 24-26, 2007; Denver, CO.

Northern Research StationRhinelander, Wisconsin

MN

MO

IAIL

MI

Denver, Colorado

• Populus species and genotypes• Field Research Site • Field Experiment• Ongoing Projects

Presentation Outline

• Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh• Eastern cottonwood (native to US Northern Region, yield, disease/pest resistance)

• Populus nigra L.• European black poplar (yield, rooting)

• Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray• Western black cottonwood (native to PNW, yield, rooting)

• Populus maximowiczii A. Henry• Japanese poplar (yield, rooting)

Species Used

TD

DD = P. deltoidesT = P. trichocarpaN = P. nigraM = P. maximowiczii

Primary Species Used

MN

TMND

P. deltoides × P. nigra L. (DN)

DN5

P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii (DM)

DM115, 14104, 14106

P. nigra × P. maximowiczii A. Henry (NM)

NM2, NM6

(P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides) × P. deltoides (BC1 )

13460, 14018

4 genomic groups

8 clones

Genotypes Studied

• leachate composition changes

• contaminant levels generally decrease over time

• economically-sound and environmentally-sustainable option

• alternative treatment is to utilize the leachate as an irrigation

source for species and interspecific hybrids of the genus Populus

Oneida County Landfill 08/04/06

Oneida County Landfill

Hypotheses:

After two seasons of irrigation with water or leachate,differences will exist among clones for:

• height, diameter, leaf area, and biomass

• phytoremediation capability

• number and size of basal/lateral roots

Objective:

The overall objective of this research is to identify clones withelevated biomass and elevated Na+ and Cl- levels.

Field Studies: Hypotheses and Objective

2005 2006

Control Leachate Control Leachate

pH 6.2 ± 0.1 8.8 ± 0.0 6.3 ± 0.2 8.4 ± 0.2

EC* (mS cm-1) 0.2 ± 0.1 6.2 ± 0.5 0.1 ± 0.0 9.4 ± 0.2

Na+ (mg L-1) na 690 ± 10 2.4 ± 0.0 1200 ± 0

Cl- (mg L-1) nd 1093 ± 178 1.8 ± 1.8 1250 ± 50

N (mg L-1) 0.92 ± 0 598 ± 86 0.86 ± 0 685 ± 25

*Electrical conductivity

• During both field seasons the treatment application modified by precipitation events to reduce leaching into groundwater.

• 3.8 L per tree per irrigation event during 2005• 1.9 kL per treatment (64 trees) for the growing season – 2005• 22.7 L per tree per irrigation event during 2006 • 17.4 kL per treatment (64 trees) for the growing season – 2006• N, P, K was added to water to eliminate fertilization effects

Irrigation 2005 & 2006

• test the performance of 8 genotypes

• 8 blocks × 8 clones × 2 treatments = 128 experimental units

• destructive harvest two years after planting

• height, diameter, volume

• leaf, woody, and root dry mass

• analyze each combination of clone and treatment for concentration of the following elements in leaf, woody, and root tissue: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Zn, Mn, B, Cu, Fe, Al, Pb, Na, and Cl

• evaluate basal and lateral roots

Field Study Methods

Landfill Field Study - August 12, 2005

2005

Control Leachate

Height (cm) 36.5 ± 4.1 45.2 ± 4.0

Diameter (cm) 0.4 ± 0.04 0.5 ± 0.04

Volume (cm3) 12.5 ± 5.4 23.7 ± 5.3

Landfill Field Study - August 12, 2006

2006

Control Leachate

Height (cm) 154.6 ± 7.8 143.9 ± 7.7

Diameter (cm) 2.5 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.2

Volume (cm3) 1331 ± 229.7 964.2 ± 227.4

22% mortality6% (NM6) to 56% (13460)

• leaf area

• syllepsis

• soil sampling (3 samples/tree)

08/17/06

Preharvest

08/18/06

• harvest entire aboveground portion of tree

• take to greenhouse

• leaf and woody dissection

Harvest Stage I

08/18/06

• separate leaf tissue from woody tissue

• oven dry plant componentsat 70 °C

• bag leaves and woody tissue fortesting

Plant Dissection – Leaves and Woody

08/18/06

• root harvest for tissue testing, root characterization, and biomass evaluation

• uniform volume of soil removed with each experimental unit (0.28 m3)

Harvest Stage II

08/18/06 - 8/20/06

• wash roots

• collect measurements

• oven dry root components at 70 °C

• bag for tissue testing

Plant Dissection - Roots

Clone

NC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g N

a+ kg-1

0

2

4

6

8 Control Leachate

Leaf bc

fgh

fghi

fghi

fghi

fgh

efg

efg

i i i i i i i i

LSD0.05 = 1.23

Clone

NC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g N

a+ kg-1

0

2

4

6

8 Woody

i i i i

hi

i i i

hi

fghi

fghi

fghi

fghi

ghi

fghi

fghi

Clone

NC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g N

a+ kg-1

0

2

4

6

8 Root

i i i i i i i

hi

aa

ab a

b bcd

ef

cd

cde

Results - Sodium Concentration ofLeaf, Woody, and Root Tissue

NC14018

CloneNC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g C

l- kg-1

02468

10121416 Woody

ghij

ghij

hij j

fghij

fghij

fghij

fghij

fghij

fghij

ghij

hij

hij

hij j

ij

Clone

NC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g C

l- kg-1

02468

10121416

Control Leachate

Leaf aab

c

bbb a

b

cde

fghij

fghij

fghij

fghij

fghij

efghi

efghi

efg

LSD0.05 = 2.04

CloneNC1346

0NC14

018

NC1410

4NC14

106

DM115

DN5NM2NM6

g C

l- kg-1

02468

10121416 Root

cd c

d cdc

efgh

def

def

efghij

ghij

ghij

ghij

ghij

ghij

ghij

ghij

fghij

Results - Chloride Concentration of Leaf, Woody, and Root Tissue

Total tree Cl- concentration (g kg-1)

0 5 10 15 20

Tota

l tre

e dr

y m

ass

(g)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

NC13460

NC14018

NC14104

NC14106

DM115

DN5

NM2NM6

NC13460NC14018

NC14104

NC14106DM115

DN5

NM2NM6

ControlLeachate

Results – Total Tree BiomassVersus Chloride Concentration

Results – Chloride UptakeSecond Growing Season

Clone

Total Cl- (Woody)(kg ha-1)

Total Cl- Applied(kg ha-1)

Percent Removed

Percent Removed Compared to Mean

NC13460 2.6 95.5 3 28

NC14018 6.4 95.5 7 70

NC14104 17.5 95.5 18 192

NC14106 6.1 95.5 6 67

DM115 7.0 95.5 7 77

DN5 4.1 95.5 4 45

NM2 13.7 95.5 14 151

NM6 19.9 95.5 21 218

Across Clones 9.1 95.5 10 100

Results – Chloride UptakeSecond Growing Season

Clone

Total Cl- (Woody)(kg ha-1)

Total Cl- Applied(kg ha-1)

Percent Removed

Percent Removed Compared to Mean

NC13460 2.6 95.5 3 28

NC14018 6.4 95.5 7 70

NC14104 17.5 95.5 18 192

NC14106 6.1 95.5 6 67

DM115 7.0 95.5 7 77

DN5 4.1 95.5 4 45

NM2 13.7 95.5 14 151

NM6 19.9 95.5 21 218

Across Clones 9.1 95.5 10 100

Results – Chloride UptakeSecond Growing Season

Clone

Total Cl- (Woody)(kg ha-1)

Total Cl- Applied(kg ha-1)

Percent Removed

Percent Removed Compared to Mean

NC13460 2.6 95.5 3 28

NC14018 6.4 95.5 7 70

NC14104 17.5 95.5 18 192

NC14106 6.1 95.5 6 67

DM115 7.0 95.5 7 77

DN5 4.1 95.5 4 45

NM2 13.7 95.5 14 151

NM6 19.9 95.5 21 218

Across Clones 9.1 95.5 10 100

Results – Chloride UptakeSecond Growing Season

Clone

Total Cl- (Woody)(kg ha-1)

Total Cl- Applied(kg ha-1)

Percent Removed

Percent Removed Compared to Mean

NC13460 2.6 95.5 3 28

NC14018 6.4 95.5 7 70

NC14104 17.5 95.5 18 192

NC14106 6.1 95.5 6 67

DM115 7.0 95.5 7 77

DN5 4.1 95.5 4 45

NM2 13.7 95.5 14 151

NM6 19.9 95.5 21 218

Across Clones 9.1 95.5 10 100

Across Sites

Tree Age (Years)2 3 4 5 6kg

Cl- h

a-1 R

emov

ed (W

oody

Tis

sue)

0

30

60

90

120

150

180

NM6

Mean

NC14104

DN5

Ames, Iowa

Tree Age (Years)2 3 4 5 6kg

Cl- h

a-1 R

emov

ed (W

oody

Tis

sue)

0

30

60

90

120

150

180

NM6

Mean

NC14104

DN5

Westport, Minnesota

Tree Age (Years)2 3 4 5 6kg

Cl- h

a-1 R

emov

ed (W

oody

Tis

sue)

0

30

60

90

120

150

180

NM6

Mean

NC14104DN5

Arlington, Wisconsin

Tree Age (Years)2 3 4 5 6kg

Cl- h

a-1 R

emov

ed (W

oody

Tis

sue)

0

30

60

90

120

150

180 NM6

Mean

NC14104

DN5

Results – Potential Chloride Uptake

Source of biomass data: ZALESNY JR., R.S. (unpublished data from regional field testing program); RIEMENSCHNEIDER, D.E., BERGUSON, W.E., DICKMANN, D.I., HALL, R.B., ISEBRANDS, J.G., MOHN, C.A., STANOSZ, G.R., TUSKAN, G.A. 2001. Poplar breeding & testing strategies in the north-central U.S.: demonstration of potential yield & consideration of future research needs. For. Chron. 77: 245-253. Biomass = 6.16 – 2.23(dbh) + 0.353(dbh2) (r2 = 0.98, P < 0.0001, n = 152)

Clones:NM6 – NM6NC14104 – 25DN5 – DN34

Results – Potential Chloride Uptake

Tree Age (Years)3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11kg

Cl- h

a-1 R

emov

ed (W

oody

Tis

sue)

0

30

60

90

120

150

180

210 NM6

Mean

NC14104

DN5

Source of biomass data: NETZER, D.A., TOLSTED, D., OSTRY, M.E., ISEBRANDS, J.G., RIEMENSCHNEIDER, D.E, WARD, K.T. 2002. Growth, yield, & disease resistance of 7- to 12- year-old poplar clones in the north central United States. USDA For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-GTR-229. Biomass = 6.16 – 2.23(dbh) + 0.353(dbh2) (r2 = 0.98, P < 0.0001, n = 152)

Clones DN17, DN34, DN182

Results – Uptake of Chloride into Tissues

75%

10%

15%

LeafWoody

Root

Percentages based on estimates of kg Cl- ha-1 removed.

• leachate analysis throughout rotation

• leachate was not detrimental for most clones

• generalist / specialist genotypes

• entire rotation

• rooted stock – P. deltoides

Overall Conclusions

• Phytoremediation merges the sciences of

plantation forestry with environmental clean-up

• Ecological benefits

• remove excessive nutrients and chemicals

• harvestable product

• carbon sequestration

Practical Implications

Acknowledgments

• Iowa State University - Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management

• Institute for Applied Ecosystem Studies and Dr. Neil Nelson

• Sigma Xi

Questions?